The End
by Precept
Summary: "This is how it all ends; one of many possible endings." Created to protest the canon ending of Mass Effect 3. This is dark and horrible, the logical conclusion of the Normandy's situation at the end of Mass Effect 3. Consider yourself warned.


In the end, it's no choice at all.

There is only one reason he has come here - to destroy the Reapers.

_"You have to choose."_

And so, he does. The man, bloody, wounded, broken, brings his pistol up and staggers towards his target. At first his grip is wrong but his head hurts, his eyes sting, and he can't walk so much as limp. But the anger surges up in him and he draws himself up to his full height, puts both hands on his firearm, and presses the trigger in short, sharp, perfect motions.

So be it.

The conduit fractures. Incomprehensible energies begin to spark and whirl like a tropical storm within it. He fires again and again, until the translucent surface shatters into a thousand shining fragments.

John Shepard fixes the Reaper child with an icy glare. "I'll see you in-"

The conduit erupts. There's a bright light, searing pain and then, mercifully, nothing.

* * *

><p>Joker isn't sure when he comes to. But the planet they have landed on is green and blue, full of life. His whole body aches but he smiles because they made it and Joker calls for EDI and when she doesn't respond he shakes his head and looks to the seat she always resides in, the one next to him.<p>

She's silent and still. The orange holographic band over her eyes is strangely absent and her head is lulled to the side. She really does look like she's just sleeping.

"Very funny, EDI!" he stammers after a long pause. "I get it: 'that was a joke!' but now really isn't the time! EDI?" Joker feels his body convulse as the first of many sobs wracks him because he_ knows_ what has happened. "EDI?"

Silence.

Joker screams.

* * *

><p>The planet is habitable. It's hospitable to human life. It's a paradise.<p>

But the crew isn't entirely human.

Garrus and Tali know that there's nothing left except time. The stash of dextro-chocolate that Garrus has won't last long. Garrus goes hunting with Vega, they bring down a large, meaty animal with one shot because Garrus is still the best marksman on the _Normandy_ and, later, the turian spends hours vomiting it up into the scrub.

Tali watches from a distance. Vega doesn't look at them as he begins dragging another animal back to the _Normandy_ crash site. They're both thinking the same thing.

There might only be two dextro-protein crewmembers of the_ Normandy_, and while that ruthless calculus might make her think that it's somehow better for the humans and Liara and Javik to survive, it doesn't do anything to stop her shivering.

That night, she makes love with Garrus against the walls of the gunnery control room.

* * *

><p>Tali is a Quarian - she knows the ins and outs of synthetic life better than most. There's nothing in EDI - no spark of life at all.<p>

But Tali can't bring herself to tell him.

She just watches, night after night, as Joker pours over EDI's metallic frame in a vain attempt to reanimate her. She's a synthetic, after all, she might still be in there.

At least, that's what Joker says.

"She's just conserving energy," he repeats, again and again like a religious mantra, until he's blue in the face, as if it will change anything. "She's just conserving energy. EDI wouldn't abandon me - abandon us! Not now!"

Doctor Chakwas comes to the bridge. Joker has stopped taking his medications, has broken every bone in his hand when he slammed it onto the armrest.

"Jeff," Doctor Chakwas says and her own breath catches in her throat, "EDI's... gone."

"Don't call me that!" Joker snarls, "Don't call me that! She could call me Jeff! She won't-! She wouldn't-!"

Chakwas offers to run a burial service but Joker snarls for them not to touch her and repeats his mantra again and again until no one is listening.

The next evening, Joker is gone - and so is a pistol from the _Normandy's_ armory.

The ship is much quieter from then on.

While Tali doesn't believe in a synthetic afterlife, she hopes Joker sees his love again.

* * *

><p>It's on a routine scouting mission turned impromptu date with Garrus that Tali punctures her suit and cuts into her arm.<p>

She plays it off as nothing. It's fine, she says, she will get a patch and some antibiotics and everything will be okay. But it's a deep cut, deeper than the protective seals in her suit can deal with all on their own, and Tali's worried.

Doctor Chakwas finds her in the medical bay, having turned the place upside down and almost hysterical. It's her responsibility to tell her that Shepard, with her authority, had gifted their medical supplies to the Citadel Defense Force. The refugees had more need of them.

Chakwas can't do anything.

All she can say is, "I'm so sorry."

That night, she opens a bottle of Serrice ice brandy.

* * *

><p>Garrus gives Tali the last of his dextro-chocolate and tries not to think about the gash on her arm. As stubborn as ever, he says he doesn't need it, that he's got to watch his figure. After all, when Shepard comes back, they're going to go to the Citadel and drink until they black out - and Garrus will need to look his best.<p>

Shepard will be there. And Grunt. And Zaeed and Jack and Jacob and Vega and Cortez and Liara and Javik...

Javik is gone. The last of the Protheans took his leave without so much as a fatalistic, arrogant goodbye. Chakwas doesn't leave the medical bay and Garrus has seen her toasting Shepard over and over and over again through the windows. She doesn't look at him. Cortez and Vega don't banter, even when Garrus swaggers in as best he can and mentions how difficult the Mako was to calibrate. That used to set the both of them off.

He feels weak and delirious, knows from his military training but more from the pain in his abdomen that he's definitely famished and starving, almost like how he felt on Omega when he had stared death in the face and spat in its eye, but all that had ended for the best - despite the scars - because Shepard came for him.

But Shepard never comes.

"Shepard will come," Tali tells Garrus. "He always does. He came for you on Omega, he came for me on Haestrom. He will fix everything, just like always. You'll see. It will all be better soon. Then we'll go to Rannoch and we'll build a house and we'll be happy together. We'll look back on this and we will laugh. Shepard will be here any day now. Please."

But Garrus knows she can't believe that. When he woke this morning, felt her absence next to him, found her mask lying discarded on the deck, he knew that there was nothing more that could be done.

She's beautiful, Garrus realises, in that final moment. She might be pale, shivering, covered in sweat and half delirious from sickness and hunger, but she's beautiful. He takes some of her dark, matted hair in one of his talons and lightly, tenderly toys with it.

Hair is so strange, Garrus thinks. Why is he only discovering what it feels like now?

"Garrus," Tali whispers, "I think I'm..."

"You're not dying," Garrus tries to chuckle but the only thing that comes out is a little sucking gasp. "You're not dying."

Tali nods weakly. "Don't bullshit me, Vakarian. I am." She takes up one of his hands in her own and smiles. "But it's okay," she says. "It's okay... because I got to have you."

Garrus squeezes her hand until he's afraid he might hurt her and even then he doesn't let go. He can't let go. Not now.

Her breathing becomes harder, more labored. It catches. He tears his eyes from the vital monitors on the arm of her suit, lets go of her hand and picks her up, cradling her slim form in his arms. Garrus Vakarian shuts his eyes and listens to her die.

"Tali..." he says quietly.

"I think I love you."

He gently closes her eyes.

He will see her soon enough.


End file.
